Have a happy Enkutatash!

Happy New Year! In Ethiopia, that is, and among Ethiopian immigrants who yesterday observed the holiday known as Enkutatash in Amharic, the country's official language, at Whitehall Community Park.

Tim Feran, The Columbus Dispatch

Happy New Year!

In Ethiopia, that is, and among Ethiopian immigrants who yesterday observed the holiday known as Enkutatash in Amharic, the country’s official language, at Whitehall Community Park.

“Ethiopia has many holidays, but this is the crown jewel of Ethiopian holidays,” said Seleshi Asfaw, executive director of the Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services. “It’s a really significant moment.”

It’s the new year in Ethiopia because the east African country goes by the ancient Julian calendar, which is divided into 12 months of 30 days and a 13th month of five days. Their calendar is also seven years behind the familiar Gregorian calendar, meaning that Ethiopia is celebrating the start of 2005, not 2012.

The new year officially begins on Tuesday. In Ethiopia, Asfaw said, “it’s a joyful day. You go out early in the morning and go to the river and clean yourself, not only physically but mentally, spiritually. You clean to forgive everything from the past year.”

The several hundred celebrants yesterday didn’t engage in any ritual bathing in the community center’s auditorium, but they did do plenty of singing, dancing and, most of all, eating native foods including injera, a flat bread, and wat, a stew.

On stage, men and women in traditional clothes engaged in the “coffee ceremony,” the traditional way in which Ethiopians welcome guests into their homes.

Appropriately, that spirit of hospitality has translated into a broadening of the Enkutatash celebration beyond central Ohio’s 25,000 Ethiopians to include many other groups, including immigrants from Nepal, Somalia and other parts of Africa and Asia.

The broad appeal helped push attendance at yesterday’s celebration to its highest point ever. “ We started in 2007, and every year this event has been growing,” said Asfaw, who came to the United States in 1997. “This is how we make our youngsters understand that we are part of the community now.”

As Asfaw chatted, a small boy energetically hit a button that automatically opened the door to the auditorium.

The boy, 21/2-year-old Tesfa Harcar, was one of many Ethiopian children adopted by Americans and brought to the event.

“There are a lot of Americans who have adopted Ethiopian children,” Asfaw said. “They want their children to understand where they came from. That’s why you see white, black, Asian faces here.”& amp; amp; lt; /p>

The boy’s parents, Joel and Amy Harcar of Columbus, have “made a whole group of new friends,” thanks to the event, Mr. Harcar said. “It’s been a blessing.”

In the back of the crowded auditorium, Amanuel Merdassa of Reynoldsburg, who came to the United States in 1996, sipped a small cup of the strong, dark coffee. As he drank, a young girl walked past and handed him a yellow flower, another traditional element of Enkutatash.

“The flower bouquet is a sign that winter is over and that spring is blooming,” Merdassa said, smiling.

tferan@dispatch.com

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